Steering columns are known, in which an adjusting element is displaceably arranged relative to a support element. For example, a jacket tube, in which the steering spindle of a steering column is rotatably mounted, can be displaceably arranged relative to the support element in the direction of the steering spindle axis, in order to make possible an adjustability of the position of the steering wheel arranged at an end of the steering spindle to the respective sitting position of the driver. Furthermore, such a displaceability of an adjusting element relative to the support element is significant with respect to the crash safety of the steering column. In particular, a yielding of the steering wheel in the event of a crash is frequently demanded, in particular when the absorption effect of the steering wheel airbag is used up and the driver strikes the steering wheel. Here it is usual to design the yielding of the steering wheel in an energy-absorbing manner through the arrangement of an energy absorption element between the adjusting element and the support element. An energy absorption element can for example absorb kinetic energy by way of a deformation of a plate strip or a tearing-open of a plate strip.
Accordingly it is demanded that the adjusting element can be easily displaced relative to the support element when a position adjustment of the steering wheel is performed. The position adjustment of the steering wheel can take place either manually by the vehicle driver or by way of an electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic adjusting mechanism. Furthermore, a defined, fixed intervention between support element and adjusting element during driving and in particular in the event of a crash is demanded in order to initially make possible a defined supporting of the airbag on the adjusting element and then an energy-absorbing yielding of the adjusting element relative to the support element, in order to be able to carefully dissipate the crash energy for the driver over as long as possible a path.
Different systems for locking the adjusting element relative to the support element are known from the prior art. There, the locking of the adjusting element relative to the support element is usually provided via an adjusting mechanism usually subject to the intermediate connection of an energy absorption element, by means of which adjusting mechanism the displaceability of the adjusting element relative to the support element is performed for the position adjustment to a driver.
From DE 10 2008 016 742 B4 a blocking hook is known, which is actuated by actuating the clamping lever of an adjusting mechanism and which when closing the adjusting mechanism while driving accordingly comes into engagement with a crash element.
From DE 10 2008 034 803 B3 a blocking mechanism is likewise known, which is actuated by the stroke of the clamping system of the adjusting mechanism. Accordingly, the blocking devices require a certain stroke of the clamping mechanism and furthermore predetermine the respective latching during the positioning of the adjusting element during normal driving.